Secrets of a Wolf Revealed
by DarkraixCresselia
Summary: Eileen, Dirtclaw's deceased mother, takes Irene back to the past to show how Dirtclaw was as a pup. What the young princess finds out both surprises and astonishes her. Spinoff of PatG 2; may contain slight spoilers.
1. Back to the Beginning

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Back to the Beginning**

When Princess Irene K. Madcleaver awoke that morning, she thought it would be an ordinary day. It felt like one at first. But as it progressed, she ended up learning quite a bit about her husband, Prince Froglip Madcleaver, and his enemy, Dirtclaw the Wolf Assassin. Let's read on, shall we?

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><p>Irene sat at her window, gazing out at the kingdom. "It's such a beautiful morning." She sighed; she turned to her husband, Prince Froglip. "Don't you agree?"<p>

"Hmm?" He perked up his ears as though he hadn't been listening. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was thinking of something."

"Of what?"

"Well, when we were younger, Dirtclaw would often compliment on mornings. He was so young and innocent back then."

"I'm sorry, but I can't understand how that monster could be innocent when he was a pup."

"Well he wasn't born vicious and murderous. He was actually good."

"Good? Good?" Irene cried incredulously. "How could that beast be good? Do you mean to tell me he didn't kill anyone when he was young? Well I find that hard to believe!"

"Fine! Don't believe it! But he was once good," Froglip stormed out of the room. "Whether you believe it or not!" He slammed the door shut.

Irene sighed and fell back on her bed. "Oh Grandmother, I didn't mean to hurt him," She said to no one. "But, I just can't believe that that monster was once good. I wish I could just find out for myself; perhaps go back to the past."

When she said that, there was a bright light. She sat up and shielded her eyes. Soon the light dimmed. She removed her hands; there was a wolf in her room. It was a large black wolf, with bat-like wings on its back, rose-red eyes, and a kind smile. It looked somewhat translucent. "Hello Irene." It said in a dreamy voice; it was a female.

"Who are you?" Irene said softly. "Are you magic?"

The female Wolf-Bat smiled kindly and shook her head. "No, I am a ghost."

"A ghost?"

"Yes. I have been dead for nearly 14 years."

"Oh…" Irene didn't know what else to say. "I'm sorry."

"Why? T'was my time to die. I admit, I never expected it, but I have now accepted it. We all die someday, some earlier than others, but we all know our fate. We should welcome it, rather than oppose or be afraid of it."

Irene nodded. "I suppose that is true. But, _wh_o are you?"

"My name is Eileen."

"Do…do you know Dirtclaw?"

"I do indeed." Eileen nodded. "You see, my dear, he is my son."

Irene's eyes widened. "You…you're his mother?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard the argument between you and your husband, and offer a solution. You wish to see Dirtclaw's past? Very well, I shall take you. Hold my wing." She unbent her left wing a little.

Irene looked back at the door Froglip had exited hesitantly. "Do not worry, when we leave, no time shall pass here. It will be as though we never left. Trust me."

Irene sighed and nodded and laid her hand on Eileen's wing bone; to her surprise, it was solid. "Spirits of the earth and sky, hear my cry," She said in a hypnotic voice. "Begin the phase, bring us back to the olden days! Back to the past, as fast as fast, spirits of my olden pack, bring us back!"

As she said the first verse, the room began to spin; they stayed in one place though. As she continued, the room spun faster and fast, so fast it was a blur. When she cried "back", the room exploded with a crack; colors flew past them as though they were traveling though a tunnel. Irene gripped the female Wolf-Bat tightly with fright.

"Do not be afraid, we are safe." She smiled. "We should be there soon."

"Where?"

Suddenly, a flash of bright white light swallowed the pair as a shrill whistle sounded; when it cleared, Irene and Eileen were in a lush green meadow with a wide river, several bushes, and small forest. "Where are we?" Irene asked.

"Where we should be." Eileen said. "We are in the Wolf-Bat Meadow. This is where Dirtclaw was raised, and adopted."

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><p>AN This is kinda short, but this is just introducing the main characters: Irene, and Dirtclaw's dead mother, Eileen. I just thought of the name "Eileen", and it sounded pretty, so I used it for his mother.

If you'd like, you may come up with your own theories on how Eileen died. It'll be revealed in the next chapter though.


	2. Deliver the Wolves

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Deliver the Wolves**

Irene looked around, curiously; the setting was a large meadow with a wide river to the left, several trees to the right, and a few rock caves. "This is Dirtclaw's birthplace?" She asked. "Why are we here?"

"If you wish to see Dirtclaw's life story, we must start from the beginning." Eileen explained; she began to lead Irene down the hill and towards the caves. "First, you must know Dirtclaw had a tragic past. His life started out normal. However, eight weeks into his life, tragic struck." She stopped when they approached a large group of Wolf-Bats. "Here we are."

'Won't we be noticed?" Irene asked.

"No, we won't disturb anything with our appearances. It will be as though we aren't even here. We can't risk changing the past; it will affect the future. For example if Dirtclaw never becomes the way he is in your time, times would be different. He would still be friends with Froglip. He wouldn't have killed Randes, Froglip wouldn't have run away to you, Dirtclaw wouldn't have tried to kill either of you. In other words, logically, if it weren't for Dirtclaw, you wouldn't have fallen in love with Froglip, or even have married him."

Irene nodded; it was logical. She looked to the right and saw a large Wolf-Bat. He had red eyes, white fangs, and three scars down across his right eye. He was standing on a tall rock, looking out as if looking and waiting for something.

**(Deliver Us; Prince of Egypt)X**

"Who is that?" Irene whispered to Eileen.

"There is no need to whisper." She said. "Remember, to them, we aren't here. As for your question, that is Scourge, the leader of the Wolf-Bat pack, and Dirtclaw's father."

Irene's eyes widened. "Dirtclaw's father? That…that's your mate?"

Eileen nodded. "Now watch."

Scourge's ears perked up as he grinned. "Troops! Attack!" He roared, leaping off of the rock; the other Wolf-Bats followed.

_What is going on?_ Irene wondered. _Who are they attacking? _She looked to where they were running; her eyes widened in shock. King Jethro Madcleaver, the king of Goblins and Froglip's father, was leading several armies of Goblins towards the wolves."After them!" He yelled; he hurled a spear he was holding towards Scourge, who had leapt up to attack the Goblin. The spear embedded itself in the Wolf-Bat's chest. His eyes widened as he fell dead to the ground. At once, Wolf-Bats and Goblins attacked.

Irene's eyes widened at the scene. "Wolf-Bats and Goblins were at war with each other since the beginning of time." Eileen explained. "Both sides had been planning the attack for weeks. During the war, Goblins and wolves alike were lost."

Irene's eyes widened in horror at the battling Goblins and Wolf-Bats; fur was flying, there was blood, both sides were yelping and crying out in pain.

"There are several Wolf-Alien-Dragon gods." Eileen said as she led Irene to the caves.

"Wolf-Alien-Dragons?"

"The scientific name for all wolves with wings." Eileen explained. "There are traditional Winged-Wolves, Wolf-Bats, Alien-Winged-Wolves, and rarer yet, Magical Winged-Wolves. There are different gods for each race: Winged-Wolves have Gray Fang, Wolf-Bats have Red Fang, Alien-Winged-Wolves have Purple Fang, and Magical Winged-Wolves have Gold Fang. But the most worshipped is the god of the Wolf-Alien-Dragon gods, White Fang. If he is cried out to, it is urgent."

Irene felt horrible for the Wolf-Bats; they were crying to White Fang for help. That meant they desperately wanted help. Suddenly, Dirtclaw almost didn't seem so monstrous.

"We're here." Eileen said, standing by a large rock cave.

"What is this?" Irene asked.

"Look inside."

Irene looked inside and gasped; it was Eileen, alive and well! She was looking out of the cave, frightened. "My good and tender son," She said softly. "Don't be frightened, and don't be scared." She looked down at a tiny Wolf-Bat pup sitting between her front legs. "My son, I have nothing I can give. But this chance that you may live. I pray we'll meet again. If he will," She looked out at a female wolf's cry.

Irene looked back and gasped; dozens of Goblins were going in and out of the caves. "Get the pups!" One yelled.

Irene didn't want to see what the Goblins were doing to the Wolf-Bat pups, and Eileen knew it. Besides, real-Eileen was running with her pup in her mouth towards the river. "Get on." She said; Irene climbed on. "And hang on tight." She bounded after her real self, away from the crying females and yelping pups.

"Why are we following you?" Irene asked, gripping the female Wolf-Bat's thick mane.

"Haven't you put the pieces together? Dirtclaw is my son! He is eight weeks old in this time!" Eileen said, almost annoyed. "We're following _me_!"

Irene's eyes widened in realization; the pup being carried by Eileen was Dirtclaw! This was his family being killed! _This was his life!_

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><p>They followed Eileen, who stopped halfway to the river; Puppy Dirtclaw was whining. She set him down and nuzzled him with her snout, whispering, "Hush now, my baby, be still now, don't cry. Sleep as you're rocked by the stream. Sleep and remember, my last, lullaby. So I'll be with you. When you dream."<p>

"That would be the last time I would see my son." Eileen said sadly. "I decided to set him free in the river, the only way to escape the Goblins."

Eileen continued to sit with Puppy Dirtclaw between her paws. She looked over her shoulder at a noise; her eyes widened and her ears bent back in horror: Goblins were headed towards her!

She snatched up Puppy Dirtclaw and ran towards the river, jumping right in. Irene and Eileen followed alongside, wading through the river; it felt weird walking through the water without getting wet.

A spear flew through the air, and to Irene's horror, embedded itself in Eileen's side. She gasped in pain and dropped Puppy Dirtclaw; she dove under and grabbed him, paddling to the other side of the bank. She climbed onto the bank and dropped Puppy Dirtclaw; she laid her head on the bank and slowly sighed, closing her eyes. Halfway on the bank and halfway in the river, she died.

Puppy Dirtclaw turned and laid his paws on his mother's head, pushing her. "Mother? Mother, get up! Please get up! Mother? Mother!" He whined loudly, tears running down his face.

Irene felt like crying; Dirtclaw, a vicious and murderous Wolf-Bat, had lost his mother at only eight weeks; she lost hers when she was three, and Froglip lost his recently when he was still 18. Dirtclaw had it worse; much, much worse.

She turned towards a noise; someone was coming through the bushes. Puppy Dirtclaw cowered back against his mother's body, frightened. It was Randes!

She gasped at the young Wolf-Bat pup cowered against the dead female. Puppy Dirtclaw looked up at the female Goblin with wide eyes; his ears were bent back, and his tail was tucked between his hind legs. She smiled, bent down, and patted his head with her fingers, scratching under his chin.

Then, a nearly transparent Eileen appeared, floating a couple of feet above the ground. She smiled and softly sang, only heard by Irene and Eileen's ghost. "My son, you're safe now. And safe may you stay. For I have a prayer just for you."

Randes picked up the tiny pup in her hands as his dead mother's ghost continued, "Grow, my baby son. Come back, someday. Come and avenge our deaths too." Scourge's ghost appeared next to his mate's; they nuzzled briefly, turned on their heels, and walked away, fading away.

Randes held Puppy Dirtclaw and walked towards the Goblin Kingdom, going past a young Goblin. "You may recognize that young Goblin." Eileen smiled knowingly.

Irene looked, and her eyes widened. "Mama?" The little Goblin muttered, pulling on Randes' skirt.

"Here, Froglip," She smiled, putting the Wolf-Bat pup in his hands. "Here's your new little brother: Dirtclaw."

Puppy Dirtclaw looked curiously at Young Froglip, who looked about three years old; he smiled, panting, and licked his face. Young Froglip giggled and hugged the puppy, following his mother into the Goblin Kingdom.

**XX**

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><p>AN Sorry I took so long. I hadn't been able to get to writing. I'm glad I got this one done though.

The song used on this is "Deliver Us" from the Prince of Egypt. I also based the scene on the song.

Even Dirtclaw was cute as a puppy, and loved his mother. This was the start of his life, and it was pretty rough. Also, can you just imagine a three-year-old Froglip holding baby Dirtclaw? CUUUUTE!

**GDeNofa: **Thanks :) I had a feeling it was time to reveal Dirtclaw's past. It'll also have a little bit of Froglip's as well.


	3. Best Friends

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Best Friends**

"So…Dirtclaw's mother, you, was killed, he got adopted by the Goblins, and he became friends with Froglip?" Irene asked.

Eileen nodded. "Yes, that is right."

"I…I don't need to see anymore. I believe that Dirtclaw was once good."

"I'm sure you do, but you said you wished to find out the past for yourself. You wanted to go back to the past. There is no going back, until you see the whole truth." Eileen said.

Irene sighed. She had a feeling this would be the old Wolf-Bat's answer, so there was no going back. "Alright. So, what's next?"

"Hold onto my wing."

Irene held onto Eileen's wing bone again; when she touched it, colors immediately went past the pair as if they were traveling through a tunnel. A flash of bright light swallowed them as a shrill whistle sounded. Soon, they were in a green rock tunnel.

"I," Irene walked a few steps away, looking around. "I know this place. It's…it's the Goblin Tunnel!"

"Very good." Eileen nodded, following her. "We are in the right place." She walked ahead of Irene and wagged her tail, beckoningly. She nodded and followed the Wolf-Bat.

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><p>Soon, they found three familiar Goblins. "Do you recognize those Goblins?" Eileen asked.<p>

"Yes." Irene said.

"Who are they?"

"They're Queen Randes, King Jethro, and…" Her eyes widened; the other was Froglip!

"Indeed." Eileen nodded, ignoring Irene's pause. "Now, let's watch."

"Here you go, son." Jethro said, handing Young Froglip a black fabric. "It was mine when I was your age. Now it belongs to you."

Randes unfolded the fabric; it was Froglip's black and pink cape. She held it around his neck and pinned it with the skull pin. It was so big that it piled around his ankles. "It's a little big, but you'll grow on it." She smiled.

"I like it!" Young Froglip exclaimed; he ran around the room, giggling, with the cape flowing behind him. Irene covered her mouth with her hands as she laughed. "Oh, he's so cute!" He looked just as he did grown-up, except there weren't any wrinkles by his nose, his eyes were larger, his molars were just growing in, and he wasn't as well muscled.

"We have another present for you." Randes said.

"Present?" Young Froglip and Irene said at the same time.

"It's Froglip's fourth birthday." Eileen explained. "This was when he got two of his traditional items. His cape, for one."

At that moment, Randes held out a small blue creature. "Here you go, Froglip."

Young Froglip held out and held the creature; it was a blue kitten with light blue on its chest, throat, snout, devil horns, and pink on the inside of its ears.

"His name is Grazzlegritch." Jethro explained. "And he will be your Goblin Pet."

"I already have a pet." Young Froglip protested.

Irene looked behind him and gasped; Dirtclaw was behind him!

"Don't worry. At this time, Dirtclaw is as young and innocent as Froglip is." Eileen said. "No one is in any danger."

"Dirtclaw is a wonderful pet, but he isn't a Goblin Pet." Jethro explained gently, laying a hand on Young Froglip's shoulder. "Think of it this way: unlike other Goblin children, you have _two_ pets. Grazzlegritch and Dirtclaw. You have more pets to play with."

Young Froglip's ears perked up and his eyes lit up. "Yeah! I'm gonna go play now!" He dropped Grazzlegritch and ran out of the mountain; the Goblin Kitten and Dirtclaw followed.

"Don't go too far, Froglip!" Randes called after him. "Be careful! And stay away from Sun-People!"

"Even back then, Randes loves Froglip so much." Irene giggled.

Eileen smiled and shook her head. "Not as much as in the future. See, she is just as protective as any other parent, whether it is a Goblin or human."

"Than what happened that turned her around?"

"You'll see soon enough."

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><p>The pair followed Young Froglip outside. "C'mon, you can do it!" He yelled; Dirtclaw was standing on a tall rock.<p>

"I dunno," He said timidly.

"You gotta learn to fly sometime."

"I'll fall."

"What'sa matter? Scared?" Young Froglip grinned; he obviously loved this. "You're too afra-aid. You cannot flu-aye," He said in a singsong voice, teasing his friend. "Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah."

Dirtclaw's ears drooped, and he turned to walk off of the rock. Suddenly, he turned around and ran off, jumping.

"AHH!" Young Froglip screamed, covering his head and crouching down. When Dirtclaw didn't fall on top of him, he removed his arms and looked up; the young Wolf-Bat was hovering in the air.

"I'm flying!" He cried joyfully. "I'm flying!"

"Yaay!" Young Froglip cheered. "I knew you could do it!"

Irene smiled, getting a good look at Dirtclaw. Since he was young, he didn't have his scars, or even the murderous bloodlust in his eyes. Eileen was right; he was young and innocent, simply a fun-loving puppy.

Soon, Dirtclaw fell to the ground. He crouched down and wagged his tail, barking gleefully. He ran to Young Froglip and jumped into his arms; the young Goblin Prince grabbed the Wolf-Bat pup in his arms, giggling and hugging him.

Eileen smiled. "They were such best friends as younglings. In fact, they were like brothers. They loved each other."

Irene looked at Eileen and back at Young Froglip and Dirtclaw in surprise. Froglip never mentioned that he and Dirtclaw were like brothers. Of course, maybe he would have if Irene hadn't been so stubborn and selfish. "What happens next?" She asked.

"Something that changed both their lives."

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><p>In a few minutes, dark clouds appeared. "Froglip? I don't like those clouds." Dirtclaw said nervously, pinning his ears back in fear and holding his tail between his legs. "I wanna go home!"<p>

"You can go home. I wanna explore." Young Froglip said.

Dirtclaw immediately turned-tail and ran towards the Goblin Kingdom; Young Froglip, however, walked off into the forest.

"Since we won't be viewing it, I will tell you what happened." Eileen said. "Froglip got lost in the woods as a storm came in. An elderly human found him and took him to her cabin. She dried him off, fed him, and cared for him until the next day when the storm disappeared, and he went back home. She taught him to love music, and even to sing a bit."

"Why won't we be viewing it?" Irene asked curiously.

"Because this is Dirtclaw's life we are viewing, not Froglip's. If you wish to learn of Froglip's past, you must ask him. Now, after Froglip came back, Randes was so worried sick. That event caused her to become overprotective of him. That is what caused her attitude towards him in the future."

"And Jethro?"

"He was absolutely furious! He had been worried sick, yes, but was at the same time, disappointed in Froglip. That event caused their relationship to drift apart. He still loved his son, and Froglip loved his father, yes, but he loved his mother just a bit more."

Irene nodded; now she understood.

"The next event you will see…is when the monster inside Dirtclaw was born…"

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><p>AN This was my theory on Froglip's cape and Grazzlegritch. I think of the cape as something that was handed down throughout the family; in other words, it was Jethro's (Froglip's father) first, then Froglip's. And as for Grazzlegritch, I think he was just a young kit from a Goblin Cat litter hand-chosen for Froglip.

I have the image of Froglip hugging Dirtclaw when they were both young, but I have yet to draw it. This story not only shows how Dirtclaw became evil, but shows that he once loved others, as opposed to what he is today.

Sorry for not writing "the storm story", but this _is_ Dirtclaw's story. This chapter also explains my theory on why Froglip has a certain relationship with his parents. I also noticed that in the movie, Froglip barely had any contact with his father; the only thing that showed they were related was when Jethro called Froglip "his son"

Like Eileen said, in the next chapter, it shows what happened to Dirtclaw that gave him his scars.

**GDeNofa:** Thanks :) And yeah, villains aren't always born, they're usually made. Like Scar from the Lion King, for example. I read that his real name is Taka, and he was jealous of Mufasa because he was the one who would become king. So jealousy was his reason for becoming a villain. This story explains Dirtclaw's reason for villainy. And yeah, MEGA CUTE!


	4. The Monster is Born

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**The Monster is Born**

Irene and Eileen appeared again, six months later. "Here, Froglip is five years old, and Dirtclaw is one." The old Wolf-Bat explained, as she led Irene into the kingdom. "It is story time right now."

Irene raised one eyebrow, confused. "You'll see what I mean."

Soon, they came to a large group of young Goblins; Irene recognized Young Froglip and Dirtclaw. "We may sit with them." Eileen said, walking through the group of young Goblins…literally. "We are like ghosts, they can't see us, and we can walk through them." She sat down next to Dirtclaw.

"Well…alright." Irene walked through the Goblins. It felt strange to go through them and not bump into them. She sat down next to Young Froglip, who was sitting Indian-style and smiling. She smiled as well.

"All right children," Jethro, who was standing in front of the group. "Listen well. For you are going to hear a tale of the fight between the Goblins and Wolf-Bats!"

All of the Goblin children cheered, including Dirtclaw.

"Now, a year ago, we were enemies with a pack of Wolf-Bats that used to live near here. They stole prey from us, and prey we happened to be hunting. They even killed Goblins! Well, we did something about it. We prepared our weapons, and attacked the pack. We killed the leader, a big fellow with three scars across his eyes."

No one noticed Dirtclaw's eyes widening with horror. Jethro just continued on, "While most of the Goblins fought the troops of Wolf-Bats attacking us, the rest of them attacked the nurseries, where the pups laid. One female, however, got away. She held her pup in her teeth and ran towards the river."

Dirtclaw's mouth opened with a gasp. "He is remembering his past." Eileen explained. "He is fitting the pieces together. He vaguely remembers being carried to a river."

"She leapt into the river, making for the shore. One of us lunged a spear at her, piercing her side. She made it to shore to place her pup on dry land, but she did not make it."

"How could he tell those children such stories?" Irene exclaimed. "I cannot stand it!"

"Goblin children are raised to be tough." Eileen shrugged. "They must be. It is just how their culture is."

"When I arrived home, I discovered that my son, Froglip Madcleaver, had adopted a young Wolf-Bat pup who had lost his mother in the war."

Dirtclaw apparently couldn't take anymore; he stood up and ran out of the room. "Dirtclaw? What's wrong?" Young Froglip asked; the Wolf-Bat didn't look back though.

"Come." Eileen stood up and beckoned Irene with her tail. "You must see this."

* * *

><p>Irene found Dirtclaw, sitting at the edge of a cliff. His head was hung at his chest, he was shaking with sobs, and tears were running down his black furry cheeks. "They killed them." He whispered. "They killed her. They killed my mother."<p>

"Poor Dirtclaw." Irene sighed sorrowfully. "Could he not understand that Jethro didn't know he killed his mother?"

"Would you?" Eileen asked. "Would you if you were in Dirtclaw's shoes? Would you understand that the leader of your foster family killed your mother unknowingly?"

Irene looked at Dirtclaw again and sighed; she was right.

Then, there was a rustle in the bushes. Irene and Dirtclaw turned towards it. "Wh-who's there?" He whimpered.

There was more rustling. Suddenly, two wolves leapt out. They were gray and black, had red eyes, white sharp teeth, and long gray claws. They tackled Dirtclaw, all growling.

"Oh no!" Irene gasped. "We must do something!"

"We can't." Eileen said. "This happened in the past. You can't change the past. You can only watch."

Irene looked; the two wolves were scratching and biting at Dirtclaw, who was trying to defend himself. They scratched at his legs, his wings, and his face. Suddenly, Dirtclaw growled loudly. He grabbed at one wolf's neck and savagely pulled, while he scratched at the other's throat with his front claws. Eventually, the wolves fell dead, both bleeding at the necks. Dirtclaw stood between them, legs spread out, and shaking. His wounds, which Irene recognized as his future scars, were bleeding. His jaws and paws were covered in blood.

If Irene knew Dirtclaw, he would have stood proudly over those wolves, licking the blood. However, this newly scarred Dirtclaw's eyes were wide, and his mouth barely hung open. His ears bent down in fright, and he was shaking terribly. Soon, he turned and ran back into the mountain.

"Dirtclaw has just committed his first murder." Eileen said, almost sadly. "But he was scared. He didn't mean to kill them; he was just defending himself. Yet it could not be undone. What's done, is done."

Irene looked in Dirtclaw's direction sadly. She realized he didn't mean to kill, it just happened. But there was nothing he could do.

"The moment he tasted blood, the monster inside Dirtclaw was born." Eileen said.

* * *

><p>Eileen teleported Irene to another time. "In this time, Froglip is five years old. During this time, he made a new friend. But it is better to simply watch."<p>

Irene noticed they were in the grass and brush of a forest, rather than in the mountain. She heard giggling. Soon, Young Froglip, and another young Goblin, came running out. The other Goblin had light green skin, bat-like dark-green ears, round green eyes, fuchsia hair flowing around its shoulders, and wore a pink and green dress.

"Who is she?" Irene asked.

"Just watch."

"Alright, we lost 'im." The Goblin girl giggled.

"I, am a genius." Young Froglip declared proudly, standing on his toes.

"Hey, Genius, it was _my_ idea."

"Yeah, but _I_ pulled it off."

"With _me_."

"Oh yeah?" Young Froglip tackled the Goblin girl. They rumbled about, until she pinned him on his back.

"Pinned'ja." She giggled.

"Hey, let me up." He pushed her up. When she walked a little ways away, he tackled her again. They rolled down a hill. Irene and Eileen followed, to find the Goblin girl had pinned Young Froglip again. "Pinned'ja again." She said smugly.

"You're mean." Young Froglip pouted.

"No, I'm Weed-Root." She smiled, sitting on his legs, giving the impression that she was straddling him.

"Get off."

"Mmm, no."

"Get off!" Young Froglip pushed Weed-Root off of him. Then, they heard giggling. "What's that?"

"I dunno." Weed-Root shrugged.

They walked towards the bushes, where the sound was coming from. They pushed aside the bushes; in a grassy plain, there was a woman and a little girl, who looked about Young Froglip's age. She wore a pink dress, and had orange hair. The woman had a pink dress as well. She had slightly tanned skin, and red hair.

"Who's that?" Young Froglip wondered out loud.

"Don't you know? Those are Sun-People." Weed-Root said.

"Sun-People?"

"Remember? Your parents warned us of them."

"They don't look scary." Young Froglip reached over the bushes and placed one foot on the other side.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna have a closer look?"

"You can't!" Weed-Root grabbed his arm.

"I'm gonna be ok, I'll only take a peek."

"But if your mom finds out-"

"No! You can't tell her!"

"Froglip." Weed-Root sighed.

"Please, Weed-Root?" Young Froglip pleaded. "Please? I'll be careful."

She sighed. "Ok. I won't tell. Just be careful, please?"

"Uh-huh." Young Froglip placed his other foot next to his first, and carefully crawled down the hill. Weed-Root sighed again and left.

"She didn't tell, did she?" Irene asked.

"You'll see."

Young Froglip crawled nearer to the humans. Irene and Eileen followed him. "Who are they?"

Eileen smiled. "Look closer."

She did, and gasped. "That's…that's me?"

"You and your mother." Eileen corrected. "You don't remember any if this, so pay attention."

Irene watched as Young Froglip stopped and crouched in the bushes, keeping his eyes on her three-year-old self. He watched curiously as she ran around, clutching wild flowers. Suddenly, he sneezed. She froze and looked into the bushes. She walked towards them, causing Young Froglip to back away. When Little Irene parted the bushes, he just froze.

She slowly smiled. "Hi!" She giggled.

"Uh…hi."

"Irene, what's wrong?" Her mother stood up and walked towards the bushes.

"Look what I found, Mommy." She said, pointing at Young Froglip.

"It isn't polite to point, dear." She said; she looked at Young Froglip and smiled. "Well hello. Who are you?"

"I…I'm Froglip."

"That's a funny name. I like it." Little Irene smiled. "I'm Irene."

"That's a funny name. I like it."

"_I_ said that!"

Both children giggled. "Wanna play?" Little Irene poked Young Froglip's arm. "Tag! You're it!" She ran off, with the young Goblin behind.

"You were so young, you don't remember this." Eileen explained to a dumbfounded Irene. "But Froglip did. Tell me Irene, did you ever wonder why he chose to try and marry you, out of other princesses? Why he wanted you? Well, now you know."

"He remembered me?"

"Yes." Eileen nodded. "He didn't know it at the time, but he was in love with you. It was just strong friendship though, and you were young and innocent, not knowing about your family's hatred towards each other. All you knew was you each had a new playmate. But alas, it did not last."

Suddenly, Randes stepped out of the bushes. "Froglip Madcleaver! What on Earth do you think you are doing?" She yelled.

"Mama?" He exclaimed.

"You know what we think about Sun-People!" She grabbed his ear and pulled him along. "You're coming home with me, right now!"

"Ow! Mama! No! Ow!"

"Randes was furious." Eileen said. "But even though you were separated, he didn't forget about you. But the memory of you two playing disappeared. When he saw you, years later, he wanted you."

"I see…but did Weed-Root tell on Froglip?"

"No." Eileen shook her head.

"Then who did?" Eileen looked off in a direction. Irene followed her gaze; Dirtclaw was standing on a high rock. "Dirtclaw did?"

"Yes." Eileen sighed. "He did. Normally, he wouldn't have, but the monster inside of him was growing. And soon…it would fill him to the brim, choking the innocence along the way."

* * *

><p>AN Here it is. This chapter shows how Dirtclaw got his scars. At the same time, he had his first taste of blood.

Also, it shows my theory on why Froglip chose Irene; not to marry, but to kidnap, like in the movie. It's just a silly theory: maybe they met when they were little. Irene didn't remember, but Froglip did. But he forgot the happy memories, and only remembered her. When he saw her later (hey, he has to see her in order to know who to kidnap, right?) he decided she was "the one".

**GDeNofa: **Thanks :) I know, right? And I'm glad you like that line :D


	5. Dirtclaw Feels Like a Monster

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Dirtclaw Feels Like a Monster**

Eileen showed Irene Dirtclaw, as he grew stronger. His red scars had long healed and faded to pink. As he grew, his fur changed from short and scruffy, to long and fluffy. His muscles grew, and sharp white teeth had replaced his baby teeth. Irene had to admit, when he wasn't murderous, Dirtclaw was rather handsome.

"This is a special seeing." Eileen said. "We will see into Dirtclaw's dreams." They approached a sleeping Dirtclaw. As they neared him, they grew smaller and smaller. Before she knew it, Irene was inside a dark room. "Welcome…to Dirtclaw's nightmare." Eileen said mysteriously. "This was before he changed." She gestured with a paw. Irene looked, and saw Dirtclaw the day he gained his scars. His paws and jaw were bloodied-up again. Young Froglip stood behind him, looking scared. "Dirtclaw! What's wrong?" He asked, reaching out towards him with a hand.

Dirtclaw jumped back, ears bent back and eyes wide. "No! Stay away from me!

**(Monster by Skillet)X**

Irene saw a vision of Dirtclaw sitting; it faded into what he was in the present day. His scars were there, there was blood on his jaw and paws, and his eyes were red. Dirtclaw shook his head, as though there was a voice inside his head. Brown claws scratched on the walls, leaving behind light brown scratches. An eerie, ghostly outline of Dirtclaw appeared. Dirtclaw shook it away, gritting his teeth as though he was in pain.

Dirtclaw darted under his bed to hide, but a vision of himself appeared. A dark crimson red outline surrounded his body as blood appeared on his paws and jaw, and his eyes turned an evil red.

Irene saw Dirtclaw gripping his arm with his paw, where a scar was forming, as though it was burning. He screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as blood oozed out of his wounds.

"No! You're not a monster!" Dream-Young Froglip protested.

"Look at me!" Dream-Dirtclaw cried. "I'm not the Wolf-Bat you once knew!"

Dirtclaw continued to grit his teeth and shake his head, trying to get rid of the invisible voice inside of his head. Then there was an image of Dirtclaw attacking Young Froglip. Irene cried out as blood appeared, but there was a flash, and Dirtclaw gasping awake. It was only one of his nightmares.

Blood-red eyes appeared in the dark. Then a red ghostly outline of Dirtclaw's jaws opening, and long fangs sprouting. Dirtclaw cried out, as if in pain, but no one came. He gripped his burning scars, whining in pain.

**XX**

"Dirtclaw was becoming so confused." Eileen said sadly as she and Irene appeared in the real world and left Dirtclaw's nightmare. "He was good. He had a family, and a best friend who he considered a brother. But he was changing." She turned to Irene. "You must understand that once a Wolf-Bat tastes blood from one of its victims, who had tried to kill it, it becomes obsessed with it. There is a reason Wolf-Bats are so dangerous. They must be careful to only eat animals they kill for prey, _not_ revenge. If they do so, they become monsters. They can hurt someone they love. The worst case is they hurt their family and do not care."

"So the wolf attack on Dirtclaw made him kill them, and he tastes their blood?" Irene asked.

"That," Eileen nodded. "And it happened after Dirtclaw discovered that his family had been murdered by the family who cared for him for most of his life. He wanted revenge…but became obsessed with it. Then," She turned to a still-sleeping Dirtclaw, who was twitching from his nightmare. "Came the event that caused Dirtclaw to snap."

"And that event was?"

"…His first official murder."

* * *

><p>AN I know I haven't updated in forever. I just didn't get any inspiration until now.

The song used in this is "Monster" by Skillet. When I first heard it, it became like one of Dirtclaw's themes. It describes him: he never wanted to be a monster, it was an accident. I also used the song for a music video with Dirtclaw. In fact, his nightmare _is_ the music video. It's one of my videos on YouTube; my username is DarkraixCresselia.

This is just a filler-chapter. The _real_ time when Dirtclaw becomes who he is today is in the _next_ one.

**GDeNofa:** I think that's cute too :D And the wolves attacked him because he was in their territory. Wolves fight other wolves that invade their home, and Dirtclaw accidentally stumbled into theirs. Also, they were regular wolves, not Wolf-Bats.


	6. The Murder

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**The Murder**

Irene's eyes widened. "Who…who was it?"

Eileen stood next to her, and she held onto her wing. "You will see soon enough."

Irene closed her eyes as they began to time travel again. It wasn't a very fun way to travel, and the swirling color tunnel and high-pitched whistle gave her a headache.

* * *

><p>They appeared in a room made of rocks. A female Wolf-Bat was sitting in it. She had pretty black fur, ruby-red eyes, and had a large stomach. "Who is that?" Irene asked.<p>

Before Eileen could answer, Dirtclaw entered the room. He looked just as he did in the present: silky-looking black fur, powerful-looking muscles, large wings, blood-red eyes, brown claws, and pink-colored scars. He had a hard look in his eyes, which softened when he saw the female. "Calypso." He whispered.

The female stood up, smiling, and nuzzled Dirtclaw. "Hello, my love."

"Is she…Dirtclaw's mate?" Irene wondered.

Eileen nodded, "Yes. He didn't exactly fall in love with her, but Calypso loved _him_. And at the moment, is carrying a future generation."

Irene was confused, but then it dawned on her, "Calypso is…she's pregnant?"

"With a son, yes." The old Wolf-Bat nodded.

"Our pup should be born any day." Calypso smiled, brushing her tail against her plump belly.

"Excellent." Dirtclaw nodded.

Irene noticed Dirtclaw's eyes. They had softened a bit, but were still hard. Calypso's, however, had love. She knew about eye contact because when Froglip looked at her, his eyes had love for her. And she was sure _her_ eyes had love for _him_. Suddenly, she realized although she and Eileen had been on these trips for an hour combined, she missed her Goblin Prince. It was lucky that time stopped in the present; otherwise, Froglip would be worried about her.

Dirtclaw perked his ears up at a sound. "What is it?" Calypso asked.

"You don't worry your pretty little head. You rest, and I shall investigate." Dirtclaw nuzzled his mate, licking her snout, before trotting out of the room.

"Come. We must follow him." Eileen followed her son, with Irene close behind. They stopped when he did. He looked down a cliff, almost with disgust. "Follow his gaze." His deceased mother said, gesturing with a paw.

When she did, Irene's blue eyes widened. Down below was Froglip; the Froglip she knew. Because she hadn't seen his past ever since he was five years old, he had changed dramatically! He was taller, his cape fit him better, and he now wore his familiar teal loincloth. He looked stronger, and he walked with the pride of a true prince. "…Froglip." She whispered. She didn't realize she had said it with love until too late. She placed her fingertips on her lips and cleared her throat, blushing slightly. Eileen only smiled amused.

As he walked through the tunnel, Froglip called out, "Weed-Root? Where are you?"

Suddenly, a Goblin leapt onto his shoulders and yelled out, "YAAH!"

"AHH!" Froglip screamed. "Get off!"

The Goblin leapt off, doing a front-flip, and landed in front of Froglip, striking a "ta-da" pose. His eyes widened. "Weed-Root?" He exclaimed.

"That's little Weed-Root?" Irene wondered out loud. She had changed. She was a tall, full-bodied female Goblin. She wore a top made of a blue piece of cloth tied around her chest above her breasts, which drooped down to her hips. A pink skirt also flowed around her legs, ending just above her knees. She had light green skin, long dark green claws, round green eyes, pink lips, and long fuchsia-colored hair tied in a high ponytail.

"Yes, but she has grown." Eileen said. "And she and Froglip were such good friends, they were betrothed."

Irene's eyes widened. "What?" She turned to her companion. "I…Froglip never mentioned _that_."

"You'll see why soon enough."

"I've been working on my flipping and dismount." Weed-Root smiled. "What do you think?"

"Not bad." He nodded. "By the time _we're_ ruling the kingdom, you'll be the most agile Goblin Queen in history."

"I know. I did it just for _you_." She fluttered her eyelashes, still smiling.

Irene scowled, feeling slightly sick. "Disgusting!" She then realized she was sounding like Dirtclaw. "I…I mean,"

Eileen laid a paw on her shoulder. "It is only natural you would feel jealous. You love him, and are married to him. But _that_ is in the present, their future; _this_ is the past."

Irene slowly nodded, still feeling slightly ashamed. "What happened to Weed-Root if…if Froglip fell in love with _me_?"

"You'll see."

Irene then noticed that Dirtclaw was staring at the Goblin couple, eyes filled with disgust as well. His ears bent back as he ran down a tunnel, in the opposite direction they were going. Irene and Eileen followed him. He trotted up and on top of a tall pile of large rocks. He looked back down the tunnel at Froglip and Weed-Root. "Prepare for the surprise of your lifetime." He grinned. He glided down to the ground and began digging at the rocks.

Irene raised one eyebrow, confused. _What is he doing?_ She wondered. Suddenly, the rocks began falling. Dirtclaw jumped up and out of the way back into the tunnel. More rocks fell. "What's that?" She heard Weed-Root cry.

Irene looked in the direction of the voice. She saw Froglip look back, and his ears bend down. "Rockslide!" He cried.

More rocks tumbled down; huge boulders came rolling down as well. Froglip grabbed Weed-Root's wrist as they both ran. Irene covered her eyes with her hands as the rocks neared them. When the rumbling stopped, she uncovered her eyes.

As the dust cleared, the Goblin kingdom came running up. Randes and Jethro were among them. Then, a pile of rocks and dust stirred. Suddenly, Froglip burst out of the pile, coughing. He was covered in dust, some wounds were bleeding, and his cape was torn. "Froglip! My baby!" Randes exclaimed, grabbing him in a tight hug. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, Mama! It was horrible!" Froglip whimpered.

"Wait…where's Weed-Root?" A female Goblin, who Irene presumed was the female Goblin in question's mother, gasped.

"Weed-Root?" Froglip exclaimed, wriggling out of his mother's grip. "She didn't get out? She could be buried under the rubble!"

At this, several Goblins began digging furiously at the rocks. As they looked for Weed-Root, Froglip looked up at the newly formed rock pile. Irene followed his gaze; standing on top of the pile was Dirtclaw. She could have sworn he was smiling; but not a regular one. No, this one was the one she knew: the evil smile.

"Your majesties!" A Goblin exclaimed; Dirtclaw turned and disappeared over the rock pile.

Randes, Jethro, and presumably Weed-Root's parents ran to a hole dug in the rocks. Her mother gasped loudly.

"Move!" Froglip pushed through the developing crowd. "Move! Out of my way!" He looked down and gasped. Irene looked as well. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

Weed-Root was half-buried in the rubble. Her face was filthy, and her eyes were closed, as she lay limp over the rocks. She wasn't moving. "Weed-Root?" Froglip crouched beside her and nudged her face with his hand. "Weed-Root? Are…are you all right?"

"I'm sorry." The Goblin who found her sighed. "She's gone."

Her mother began sobbing. Froglip's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Irene stood up, astonished. "Weed-Root…was the one? Dirtclaw's first murder…he killed _her_?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Eileen nodded with a sad look in her eyes. "Froglip is thankful he didn't go after his mother…not _this_ time, at least."

Irene nodded. She knew what had happened in the future. "Come, we must go forward a week."

* * *

><p>They reappeared in Froglip's bedroom. He lay asleep in a stone bed shaped like a Goblin-like monster's mouth, where the sleeper slept inside. Froglip had his cape wrapped around himself like a blanket, asleep as he sucked his thumb. Irene chuckled, a smile playing on her lips. It faded when she heard something come in. She looked, and her eyes widened. She saw red eyes. "Dirtclaw!" She gasped. Eileen shushed her.<p>

Dirtclaw approached the bed and barked loudly. "Ahh!" Froglip exclaimed, jumping up. He calmed down when he saw it was Dirtclaw. "Oh Dirtclaw! You scared me half to death!"

"Shame it wasn't all the way." Dirtclaw growled.

Froglip raised one eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You really _are_ stupid, aren't you?" Dirtclaw climbed onto the bed, pinning Froglip down with his paws. "You never suspected me, did you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It was me! _I_ caused the rockslide! _I_ was the one who did it!"

Froglip's eyes widened in realization. "You did-you killed her! You killed Weed-Root! Why? What did I ever do to _you_?"

"It's what your kingdom did to _me_!" Dirtclaw snapped, sinking his claws into Froglip's flesh, ignoring his sharp gasps of pain. "Remember the war 10 years ago? The one between Goblins and Wolf-Bats? Your kingdom killed my family! THEY KILLED MY MOTHER!"

Froglip's eyes widened slightly, but more in fear. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sure no one knew, bu-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! I killed your precious Weed-Root so _you_ would know how it feels to lose someone you love. You're lucky I didn't go after your _mother_!" He stopped, panting. His ears slowly perked up as though realizing something. "But maybe I should do the same to your _family_!" He turned back to Froglip, grinning evilly.

Now Froglip looked _really_ scared. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Your life ends _now_, Froglip!" He rose on his hind legs. His claws were unsheathed, and he opened his mouth wide, showing his sharp, white teeth. Irene's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "No!" She cried.

At the same time, Froglip yelled, "MOTHER!" At his cry, two Goblins came rushing into the room. At the sight of Dirtclaw, they pushed him to the ground. He writhed against their grip, snarling. They tied a rope around his mouth so he wouldn't bite them, and tied more around his legs to prevent his struggling.

Randes ran into the room. "Froglip? What's wrong?" She exclaimed.

"Dirtclaw looked like he was going to attack him, your majesty." A Goblin said.

"He said that _he_ caused the rockslide that killed Weed-Root!" Froglip added.

"Take him to the dungeons!" Jethro, who also came into the room, rubbing his running nose, snapped. "We'll question him later."

Nodding, the Goblins lifted a still-snarling Dirtclaw and carried him away.

* * *

><p>AN Calypso is just a minor character. Why? You'll see soon enough. Also, I think of Calypso/Dirtclaw to be like Scar/Zira from the Lion King franchise, with Dirtclaw as Scar, of course, and Calypso as Zira.

Weed-Root also is just a minor character for this story. Irene's jealousy is also shown to still linger in _the Princess and the Pirate_, Ch. 7, When Dirtclaw Knew of Love. She's also mentioned in Ch. 9, Simon, when Froglip reacts the same way when Irene is captured by pirates.

Sorry I left it in a cliffhanger. It'll get you excited for the _next_ chapter though, right?

**GDeNofa:** Thanks :) And yeah, I guess. I guess I forgot about that ^^; Say, since you like cats, have you ever read a book series called _Warriors_? It's ALL about cats. They live in clans that have leaders, deputies, medicine cats, apprentices, and warriors. They have wars against each other and different enemies. I LOVE it :D


	7. Dirtclaw's Banishment and the Stampede

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Dirtclaw's Banishment and the Stampede**

Eileen shook her head sadly. "As punishment, Dirtclaw's beloved Calypso was murdered."

Irene's eyes widened, then she looked confused. "Why tell me rather than show me?"

"That is something you do not need to see." The old wolf explained. "I will only show you Dirtclaw's trial. It will also explain why Froglip still grieves over the friendship he and Dirtclaw once had." She led Irene into a large room in the cave. Dirtclaw sat on the ground at the foot of stairs, which led up to three thrones. In the middle sat Jethro. To his right was Randes. The left side was empty.

Eileen nudged Irene and nodded towards the back. By the entrance, Irene saw Froglip hiding. "Dirtclaw the Wolf-Bat," Jethro said, rubbing his running nose. "You have confessed to murdering of Weed-Root. Do you deny it?"

Looking to his left and right, Dirtclaw growled, "No." The Goblin crowd gasped.

"In that case, I find you guilty. I hereby banish you from the Goblin Mountain! If you are found anywhere near here, you will be chased away, or killed. Now go!"

Silently, Dirtclaw stood, turned around, and began to make his way towards the exit. As he went, Goblins to his left and right jeered and yelled out names, "Traitor!

"Murderer!"

"Dog of Death!"

"Beast from Hell!"

"Wolf Assassin!"

Irene gasped softly. "Wolf Assassin?" She whispered. "That's Dirtclaw's nickname."

"That is where he got the idea, yes." Eileen nodded, leading Irene after Dirtclaw. "Now watch."

As Dirtclaw walked out, but before he managed to get out of the mountain, a voice yelled, "Dirtclaw! Dirtclaw, wait!"

Turning, Dirtclaw saw Froglip running towards him. He stopped and asked, "Why? Why did you kill her? I thought we were best friends. We were brothers," As he spoke, he held out a hand to the Wolf-Bat.

"…You are right." He said deeply. "We _were_ best friends. However, as far as _I'm_ concerned, you're no brother of mine."

Irene and Froglip both gasped. The Goblin Prince backed away, shaking his head slightly. Irene could see tears growing in his eyes. Dirtclaw turned and continued out the Goblin Mountain. His long, fluffy tail was the last thing Irene saw before it disappeared.

"…Froglip," She laid a hand on his shoulder, only to find her hand went right through him. "I…I had no idea…I'm so sorry."

Eileen sat down and laid a paw on her shoulder. "There is another thing you need to see."

"Please…no more." Irene pleaded, tears growing in her own eyes.

"I'm sorry, but this is the last thing; I promise."

Sighing, Irene nodded. She closed her eyes as they time-traveled. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a gorge. Looking to the side, she gasped when she saw Froglip and Dirtclaw walking side-by-side.

"So, what's going on again?" Froglip asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh, just a surprise from your mother." Dirtclaw smiled. "You must stay here while I go get her. Just sit in this one spot," He patted the ground with his wing. "And don't move."

Irene and Froglip both looked suspicion until he sat down. As Dirtclaw left, Froglip said, "Say Dirtclaw, what exactly is this surprise like? Will I like it, or dislike it?"

"Froglip, I can only sum it up in these four words: it's to die for!" Dirtclaw purred before continuing on his way out of the gorge. Irene shivered at those words.

After several minutes, Froglip grumbled, "What's taking them so long?" Irene giggled, remembering Froglip tended to be impatient. She watched as he knocked down a tree to get an apple after his stomach growled. Then the ground began rumbling under their feet. They both looked up; hundreds of cattle were running over the edge of the gorge…right for them!

Both Irene and Froglip gasped. The Goblin Prince dropped the apple and ran off. "Climb on." Eileen said. Irene jumped onto her back just behind her wings. Eileen began running, then jumped and flapped her bat wings, lifting them up into the air. She followed after Froglip, who continued to run. Irene gasped when he slipped and nearly fell. Eileen flew up onto the ledge when Froglip climbed onto a tree.

"There!" A voice cried. "I see him! On that tree!"

Irene looked to her right; on another ledge were Randes, a gray Goblin she recognized as Gromp, and Dirtclaw. "Hold on, Froglip!" Randes cried.

Irene looked to see the tree Froglip was in get bumped by a cow. He grabbed the branch and screamed. Randes jumped down and began running through the stampede to get to her son.

"Oh, Dirtclaw, this is awful!" Gromp exclaimed. "What do we do? What do we do?" Irene couldn't hear him after that, but she did see Dirtclaw kick him away. She looked back into the stampede to see Randes get knocked to the ground. She screamed when Froglip's tree got knocked over by a bull, sending him flying through the air. He landed on the ground and gripped his arm. Then Randes grabbed him under his arms and pulled him to and pushed him onto a ledge before getting carried away by the stampede.

"Mother!" Froglip cried, searching frantically through the stampede for her. Irene looked too, very worried. Suddenly, the Goblin Queen leapt onto the edge of the cliff. Eileen flew up onto a higher ledge as Randes slowly climbed up.

"Dirtclaw!" She cried. Irene saw the Wolf-Bat sitting on the edge of the cliff, looking down her past his nose. "Please! Help me!"

Dirtclaw grabbed Randes's hands with his claws, making her cry out in pain. He sneered at her with blood-red eyes Irene heard him growl, "Long live the queen." Irene screamed when he pushed her off of the ledge.

"NOOOOO!" She heard Froglip cry at the top of his lungs. Eileen walked down the hill while he climbed frantically to the bottom of the gorge. Coughing, he yelled, "Mother!" He and Irene turned sharply towards a twig snapping. "Mother?"

A young cow ran past him and a fallen tree. Something was under that tree. Froglip and Eileen walked towards it. He and Irene gasped at what that object was; it was Randes!

"No." Froglip muttered, shaking his head. He hurried to his mother's body, wincing slightly. Irene saw tears growing in his eyes. "Mother? M-Mother? You have to get up." He pushed at her, only to have her fall limp. "W-we have to go home…No. Mother, no! NOOOO!" He buried his face in his hands and began sobbing. Irene wiped the tears from her eyes as well. "Why must I see this?"

"You may have comforted him, but you never understood how Froglip felt about his mother's death," Eileen explained. "Not until now."

Irene nodded, understanding. "Froglip." They both looked up. She gasped at the sight of Dirtclaw staring him down. "What have you done?"

Froglip stood and wiped his face. "Th-there was a cattle stampede. And…she-she tried to save me. I-I didn't mean for this to happen." He stuttered.

"Oh, of course you didn't'," Dirtclaw said in a fake soothing tone, hugging Froglip. "No one, means for these things to happen…But the queen _is_ dead. And if hadn't been for you, she'd still be alive. Oh! What will your father think?"

"Wh-what should I do?" Froglip asked.

"The only thing you _can_ do, young prince," Dirtclaw said, pushing Froglip away with a paw. "Run away."

Irene gasped softly. "Run. Run away, and _never_ return."

Hesitating, Froglip turned and ran through the gorge. "Oh, Froglip." Irene sighed sadly. She turned to see Dirtclaw's neutral face melt into an evil smile. Two wolves appeared behind him through the dust. "Kill him." Dirtclaw said. Irene gasped as the wolves ran past him and after Froglip.

The scene began to burr. "You have seen all you must see." Eileen said. "Now you know about Dirtclaw and Froglip. It is time you return to your own time. Do you understand now?"

Irene nodded. "I understand. I am so ashamed of myself; of how I upset Froglip so much."

"He loves you; he'll understand. I'll take you back home, where no time will have passed. And then…I must go."

Irene felt her heart sink. In the last few hours, she had taken a liking to the old Wolf-Bat ghost. Without another thought, she fell to her knees and hugged Eileen. She laid a paw on her back, returning the hug. "Will I ever see you again?" Irene whispered.

"Perhaps one day." Eileen said. "Perhaps. But remember: I am always there, even when you cannot see me. I'm there."

Irene remembered those words being uttered by her great-great grandmother. But before she could speak, she felt herself fading away…


	8. Forgiveness

A/N I came up with this a few weeks ago. It was also inspired by a Lion King story, Time Warped, which has a similar plot. In this one, Irene is taken back to the past to uncover secrets about Dirtclaw. I only own Eileen, Dirtclaw, and other OC things. I don't own the Princess and the Goblin or its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**Forgiveness**

When she woke up, Irene found herself in her bedroom, sitting on her bed. No time had passed, but she remembered all she had seen.

Remembering what had happened before she left, she stood up and quickly left the room. "Froglip?" She called. "Froglip!" Sighing, she went back to her room and sat on her bed. "Oh Froglip, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you; I only spoke foolishly. I never knew how much you loved Dirtclaw, or how hurt you were by his betrayal." She buried her face in her hands and began softly crying. She didn't notice the door opening. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Someone sat on the bed next to her. "Irene? What's wrong?" A familiar voice lisped. "Why are you crying?"

She lifted her face and saw Froglip looking at her, concerned. Without hesitation, she grabbed him in a tight hug. "Oh, Froglip!" She cried. "I'm so sorry!"

He raised one eyebrow. "What about?"

"Our argument." She explained everything that had happened. "No time had passed." She said. "But I saw all that had happened: yours and Dirtclaw's childhood, his change and betrayal, and the stampede. I…I'm so sorry I said those things. I just never knew. I'm sorry."

Froglip slowly hugged her back. "It's alright, I just overreacted foolishly. I should have known you didn't understand. I'm the one who should apologize."

Irene just smiled and snuggled against his chest. "I'm glad that misunderstanding was worked out."

"Well, your trip also gave me an understanding about Dirtclaw's life. When he ran out during Father's story telling, I didn't understand why he did so. Now I know. I thought he never knew about the war."

"They say an elephant never forgets. Perhaps it's the same with Wolf-Bats."

"Perhaps. So, is Eileen your guardian now?"

"I don't know. All she said was she was there, even when she couldn't be seen."

"Maybe she's like your grandmother. You think they know each other?"

"Maybe." Irene shrugged.

"Well, I couldn't stay mad at you, even if you hadn't seen the past. Especially today."

"Why today?" Irene asked, confused. "Why is today so special?"

"Here's a hint," Froglip smirked. He held her chin in his hand and kissed her lips. "Happy birthday." He whispered.

Irene's eyes widened. "Oh, it's my 17th birthday! I forgot!"

He chuckled and kissed her again; this time, she returned it. They moved so she was laying back flat on the bed, and he was leaning on his hands over her. She took his face in her hands as he nudged at her lips with his tongue. She obligingly parted them open, and his tongue snaked into her mouth. She moaned as it explored her mouth before wrapping around her own tongue like a snake.

When they finally parted for air, Froglip said, "I suppose it's a good thing I shut the door."

Irene rolled her eyes. "You are impossible."

"That's why you love me."

"I thought it was something like that." She leaned up and kissed him again. As they kissed, they moved so they were both on the bed. They moved back so Irene's head was on her pillows. She unclipped Froglip's cape, and he reached around her back to undo her dress.

They both forgot about the misunderstanding altogether.


End file.
